Why Is My Juniper Dying

My juniper that has been here for years is dying, It is completely around the perimiter of our yard so no we have bare ground and it is still dying, what are some causes and what can we do to prevent it from continuing to die?

4 Answers

It sounds like you might have spider mites. Spider mites favorite plant hosts include furry textured plants such as Juniper, Cypress, and the like. The spider mites usually start on a plant or two then move on to other plants. Check for spider mites by holding a white sheet of paper under the foliage where it turns from brown and dead to green. Tap the foliage of the Juniper to knock the mites on to the paper. If you see little orange specks moving on the paper it is spider mites. If no Spider Mites are present it could be a disease or fungus. If Spider Mites are present apply Neem Oil or Malathion to control them. Follow the mixing and spraying instructions on the label.

If it's a fungus or disease spray a systemic fungicide such as Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide for control, or contact your local extension office to see if they will come out and diagnose the problem. Their service is free and funded by tax revenues. Take advantage of it. They may require you to bring in some of the infected foliage from the plant.

Answer #3 · John Heider's Answer · Brenda-I noticed Brooks mentioned checking for spider mites. Spider mites are a very good possibility and can be checked as he said. They are very small and an insect you can overlook very easily. I might mention also that many Weed and Feed products can be damaging to trees and shrubs over a period of time. Most have directions that state 'Do not use under trees and around shrubs'. Many contain the chemical Atrazine. The feeder roots of plants and trees pick up this pre-emergent and it burns the feeder roots and after a few years can put some plants into distress." Rain water can also wash weed killers into adjacent beds. I have heard that some weed and feeds used consistantly enough, in two to three years can harm many plants. I'll wait on your pictures. Hopefully myself or others will be able to help once we see the plants condition. Brooks answer is definitely something you want to check.John)

Answer #1 · John Heider's Answer · Hi Brenda-I'm assuming you have a lot of junipers around the perimeter of your yard. A few questions may help in finding what is happening to the junipers. Are all of them dying? Are they browning before dying? Is the whole plant browning or just some of the branches or tips? Can you see any spotting, growths, or pests of any kind on these plants? Has the amount of watering changed? Has there been any fertilization done to the plants or surrounding areas? Has there been possibly any weed spraying or spraying of any kind being done in the area that you know of? Are there any neighbors that may not like the junipers. I always hate to ask this, but it has answered questions before i'm sure.

If you can upload a picture of the entire plant and a close up of the browning on the plant, this will hopefully help in identifying the type of juniper and the problem. Above and to the right of your name you will see where you can upload your pictures.

Answer #2 · Brenda Davis's Answer · Hi John and thank you for your help, I will try to get the pics and upload them before the weeks out.

And to answer your question, yes they are browning before dying, and yes it seems to be the whole plant. Have not seen spotting, growths or pests but will look closely when I take the pics.

My neighbors have them as well so don't think that is a problem.Watering has not changed but have had substantial rain in the area and we do have clay soil.My husband uses weed and feed on the yard each year, but not on the juniper as far as I know but will asked him when he gets back home.